DARRELL ER (COPYRIGHTED) ©

DARRELL ER (COPYRIGHTED) ©

TOPIC 10:
AIR & ATMOSPHERE

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THE ABOUT

• Simple but content heavy chapter

• Requires revision before test/exams
TIME

CHAPTER • Straight forward questions

ANALYSIS EXAM
•
Require knowledge of pollutants & effects
Will always link to other chapters:
•  Chemical Equations, Redox Reaction

• Light overall weightage

• Constitute to 2% of marks for past 5 year papers

WEIGHTAGE

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KEY CONCEPT

AIR & ATMOSPHERE

COMPOSITION OF AIR
POLLUTANTS

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COMPOSITION OF AIR

Air is a mixture of gases that largely made up of

nitrogen and oxygen.

The other gases are noble gases (like argon),

carbon dioxide and water vapour.

Percentage:

Nitrogen - 78%
Oxygen – 21%
Carbon Dioxide – 0.03%

COMPOSITION
OF
4 AIR
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6 COMMON
AIR POLLUTANTS

OZONE
METHANE (O3)
NITROGEN (CH4)
OXIDES
SULFUR UNBURNT
CARBON HYDROCARBONS
DIOXIDE MONOXIDE
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MUST KNOW
Summary Table
Gas Sources Effects

Sulfur that are present in fossil fuels (crude oil) undergoes combustion
Sulfur Dioxide
Volcanic eruptions Breathing difficulties
Acid rain
NO and NO2 are formed in car engines or chemical factories under very high
Nitrogen
temperature and pressure 2SO2 (g) + O2 (g) + 2H2O (l)  2H2SO4 (aq)
Monoxide / 4NO2 (g) + O2 (g) + 2H2O (l)  4HNO3 (aq)
Nitrogen
Dioxide Heat energy released by lightning during thunderstorms allows both nitrogen and
oxygen in air reacts with each other

CO binds to haemoglobin that is present in red blood cells, which

Carbon
CO is produced from incomplete combustion of petroleum in vehicle engines would reduce its ability to transport oxygen, hence causing
Monoxide
respiratory problems

Sheep and cows’ fart/burps

Methane Greenhouse gas that causes global warming
Decomposition of plant and animal matter

Unburnt
Incomplete combustion of fuel in car engines and chemical plants Causes cancer
Hydrocarbons

Breathing difficulties
Form from photochemical smog as a by-product from reaction between nitrogen
Ozone
dioxide and unburnt hydrocarbons in the presence of sunlight
Damage crops

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SULFUR DIOXIDE

Sulfur is a type of impurity present in fossil fuels. When

fossil fuels undergo combustion, sulfur would react with the
oxygen in air to form sulfur dioxide.

S (s) + O2 (g)  SO2 (g)

SULFUR DIOXIDE Large volumes of sulfur dioxide can also produced during
volcano eruptions.

Harmful Effects:

- Causes respiratory difficulties

- Causes formation of acid rain, which results in erosion of
buildings and environmental damages.

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NITROGENOUS OXIDES

Under very high temperatures, nitrogen and oxygen in air

reacts to form nitrogen monoxide (NO).

N2 (g) + O2 (g)  2NO (g)

Nitrogen monoxide can continue reacting with oxygen in air to

form nitrogen dioxide (NO2).

NITROGEN
2NO (g) + O2 (g)  2NO2 (g)

OXIDES
NOX is usually produced in vehicle engines, power stations,
factories and incinerators which are high temperature
environments.

NOX is can also be produced during thunderstorms and

forest fires as well.

Harmful Effects:

- Causes irritation to our lungs

- Causes the formation of acid rain, which results in erosion of
buildings and environmental damages
- NO2 may react to produce harmful ozone in the presence of
sunlight

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CARBON MONOXIDE

When carbon undergoes incomplete combustion due to the

lack of oxygen, it produces carbon monoxide (CO).

2C (s) + O2 (g)  2CO (g)

CARBON Incomplete combustion commonly occurs in vehicle engines.

Carbon monoxide (CO) binds to haemoglobin that is present

MONOXIDE in red blood cells, which would reduce its ability to transport
oxygen, hence causing respiratory problems.

Harmful Effects:

- Poisonous gas causing respiratory problems by reducing

the body’s ability to transport oxygen effectively (by binding
with haemoglobin in red blood cell).

When you leave your car engine on while stationary, the air your engine takes in
stagnant and after a while, incomplete combustion will cause the production of
carbon monoxide!
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So try and turn off your engine if the car is going to stationary for a while!
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METHANE

Methane is a type of greenhouse gas that traps heat on Earth.

Produced due to activities such as cattle farming (rearing of

cows, sheeps etc…).

These livestock produce methane in their digestive systems

and release it in their farts and burps.

METHANE Methane is also produced from bacteria decay process.

The increase in the amount of methane produced causes

enhanced greenhouse effect which in turn traps more heat
on Earth, resulting in global warming.

Harmful Effects:

- Huge and increasing amounts of methane produced leads to

enhanced greenhouse effect which causes global warming

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UNBURNT HYDROCARBONS

Due to incomplete combustion of fuels when there is a lack

of oxygen, unburnt hydrocarbons are formed.

UNBURNT Harmful Effects:

HYDROCARBONS
- Can be cancerous
- Reacts in the presence of sunlight and other pollutants to
form harmful ozone

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Ozone

Ozone (O3) exists as a colourless gas.

Ozone, in the presence UV radiation or sunlight, is formed

from photochemical smog, which contains a mixture of gases

OZONE
such as nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and volatile
organic compounds (VOCs).

Ozone that is present at ground level would irritate the eyes,

nose, throat and is an air pollutant.

Harmful Effects:

- Irritation to the eyes, nose and throat

- Causes respiratory problems such as asthma

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CHLOROFLUOROCARBONS

CFCs are released when using propellants in aerosols and

are present in coolants in air conditioners and
refrigerators.

CFCs causes depletion of the ozone layer as CFC molecules

CHLOROFLUOROCARBON decompose in the UV light into highly reactive chlorine atoms

that will react with ozone molecules in the atmosphere.

S 2Cl (g) + 2O3 (g)  2ClO (g) + 2O2 (g)

(CFCs) ClO (g) + O3 (g)  Cl (g) + 2O2 (g)

Harmful Effects:

- Depletion of ozone layer, which would allow harmful UV rays

to enter the earth’s atmosphere
- Exposure to harmful UV rays can cause skin cancer

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KEY CONCEPT

AIR & ATMOSPHERE

EFFECTS OF AIR POLLUTION
DESULFURISATION & CATALYTIC
CONVERTER

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ACID RAIN

Acid rain is formed when acidic oxides (e.g. sulfur dioxide

ACID RAIN
and nitrogen dioxide) react with oxygen and water in the
atmosphere to form acid.

2SO2 (g) + O2 (g) + 2H2O (l)  2H2SO4 (aq)

4NO2 (g) + O2 (g) + 2H2O (l)  4HNO3 (aq)

Harmful Effects:

• Acid rain causes corrosion to buildings and statues that

are built using materials containing limestone, cement or
metallic structures as acids react with metal.
• Acid rain disrupts the pH balance of the soil, making it
acidic, making it less optimal for the growth of plants and
trees.
• Acid rain decreases the pH of lake water, causing it to be
unsuitable for aquatic organisms to survive.

Ways to reduce harmful effects of acid rain:

• Refrain from using fuels containing sulfur, like coal or oil.

• Cleansing the air that contains pollutants like sulfur
dioxide and nitrogen dioxide before releasing it.
• Neutralise the high acidity in soils by using slaked lime
(calcium hydroxide) or limestone (calcium carbonate).

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GLOBAL WARMING GLOBAL WARMING

Global warming refers to the Earth heating up and experiencing an

increase in temperature.

Methane, carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases trap heat

from the Sun, resulting in the increase in temperature on Earth,
which leads to global warming.

Harmful Effects:

• Melting of polar ice caps causes rising sea levels which

causes flooding of low-lying lands.
• Higher rainfall in equatorial climates, while countries in the
Northern hemisphere (United States and Europe) are likely to
experience more droughts.
• Food shortages will happen as certain crops will struggle to
grow in such bad conditions.

How to reduce the effect of global warming:

• Switch from using non-renewable sources of energy (e.g.

fossil fuels) to using renewable sources of energy (e.g. wind
and solar energy)
• Switch to electric or hydrogen powered vehicles
The carbon cycle describes the movement of carbon dioxide in our environment.

Carbon dioxide is continuously flowing. It is taken out of the atmosphere by green

plants through photosynthesis, and returns back into the atmosphere through
various processes such as respiration, combustion and decay.
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WASTE GAS DESULFURISATION

Sulfur dioxide can be removed from waste gas through its

REDUCING SULFUR
reaction with powdered limestone (calcium carbonate).

Sulfur dioxide in waste gas reacts with calcium carbonate &

DIOXIDE EMISSION
calcium oxide to produce solid calcium sulfite.

CaCO3 (s) + SO2 (g)  CaSO3 (g) + CO2 (g)

FROM POWER
CaO (s) + SO2 (g)  CaSO3 (s)

The resultant calcium sulfite is then further oxidised, forming

STATIONS an insoluble solid calcium sulfate.

2CaSO3 (s) + O2 (g)  2CaSO4 (s)

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REDUCING HARMFUL GASES EMISSION FROM VEHICLES

Through the use of catalytic converters, pollutants are

converted into non-polluting gases.

Hot exhaust gases from vehicle engines that contains carbon

monoxide, oxides of nitrogen and unburnt hydrocarbons
are passed through the platinum catalyst in a catalytic

FITTING CARS
converter.

Carbon monoxide would be oxidised to form carbon dioxide:

WITH CATALYTIC 2 CO (g) + O2 (g) → 2 CO2 (g)

CONVERTORS
Oxides of nitrogen would be reduced to nitrogen gas:

2 NO (g) + 2 CO (g) → N2 (g) + 2 CO2 (g)

(redox reaction)

Unburnt hydrocarbons like hexane would be oxidised to form

carbon dioxide and water:

2 C6H14 (s) + 19 O2 (g) → 12 CO2 (g) + 14 H2O (g)

In Singapore, all cars are required to be installed with catalytic converters!

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